The present application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. xc2xa7 119 of German Patent Application No. 299 01 571.8, filed on Jan. 29, 1999, the disclosure of which is expressly incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an exercise apparatus, e.g., a dumbbell bench, and a process for adjustably positioning the exercise apparatus. The exercise apparatus includes a basic frame and a bench unit which is supported in a vertically adjustable manner on the basic frame. The bench unit includes a back part and a seat part which are adjustable between a sitting position and a lying position.
2. Discussion of Background Information
Dumbbell benches are used in many ways in fitness studios. These known dumbbell benches include a basic frame which has fixedly mounted thereon a seat part. The one end of the bench seat is followed by a back part which is pivotable about a pivot point between the back part and the seat part to adjust the inclination of the back part step by step between a lying position and a sitting position. The back part is fixed in the respective position via a rod which is hingedly arranged on the back part and which, in turn, engages with its other end into bars. The bars are secured at an inclined plane at regular intervals so that different inclined positions of the back part are obtained by the bars cooperating with the rod of the back part.
As an alternative to such a way of fixing, dumbbell benches are also produced in the case of which the back is provided at its end facing the head with one or two hook elements which can be hung into horizontal bars of so-called wall bars. The angle of inclination of the back part which is pivotably secured to the basic frame is adjusted in accordance with the hanging operation performed on a selected horizontal bar.
The two methods of adjusting the back are based on the same principle, i.e., to use the end of the back part which is articulated to the basic frame as a fixed pivot point and to pivot the other end of the back part in circular fashion around the pivot point and to fix the other end in a corresponding inclined position. It has been found to be a drawback that users of the dumbbell bench who have different heights cannot often adjust the optimum exercise position because the known dumbbell benches have been conceived on the basis of the standard or average height of man. Consequently, users of the known dumbbell benches who are greater or smaller than the average have to make do with a suboptimal training position. However, there is the risk of damage to the user""s health due to an initial position that is not optimum for the person performing exercises on the dumbbell bench.
The present invention provides an exercise apparatus, e.g., a dumbbell bench, and a process of adjusting the exercise apparatus of the above-mentioned generally discussed above which is a simple construction and can be produced easily at low costs. Moreover, the apparatus permits adjustment of an optimum training position for the user of the exercise apparatus at the same time.
According to the exercise apparatus of the present invention, the position of the back part is adjustable along a curved guideway having at least one straight section.
Thus, the exercise apparatus of the invention offers several advantages. The guideway of the back part automatically effects an optimum training position upon an adjusting operation so that the exercising person will always keep an optimum distance from a dumbbell bar according to the respectively adjusted position of the seat and back part. Moreover, possible damage to the user""s health is avoided by the optimum initial position of the exercising person.
Furthermore, the adjustment along the guideway of the invention can be carried out easily so that the exercising person can rapidly carry out the adjustment independently, i.e. without the help of others.
Preferably, the bench unit includes a vertically adjustable support tube which is guided on the basic frame, an adjustment tube which is connected with one end to the support tube and carries the back part and seat part, and a shaft tube which is secured to the other end of the adjustment tube. Such a construction of the bench unit can be obtained easily because such elements can be provided as standard components. As a result, the production costs can be reduced to a minimum amount.
To provide an exercise apparatus which is as simple as possible and which is suited for operation over a long period of time, the adjustment tube should preferably include a carrier tube and an adjustment element which is slidably and fixably guided on the carrier tube. Such adjustment tubes are commercially available and are suited for permanent use. At the same time, the costs are kept low.
Preferably, the curved guideway has different radii, so that the exercising person can always assume the optimum position of the back part and seat part in accordance with orthopedic requirements while performing exercises with dumbbells on the exercise apparatus.
In accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the curved guideway can be formed as a support bow. A support bow can be produced easily and exhibits an adequate strength with respect to great forces acting thereon.
To achieve a construction of the exercise apparatus of the instant invention that is as simple as possible, the support bow may be rigidly secured to a surface of the back part that faces the basic frame, and may be pivotably secured to the adjustment element. This also permits an easy adjustment of the back part so that only the adjustment element has to be moved along the carrier tube and fixed.
To achieve a suitable guidance of the support bow while a position of the back part is adjusted, the support bow is supported on a rest which can be arranged on the support tube. In this manner, a simple and reliable arrangement can be created as a guide device for the support bow.
To make the guide device of the support bow simple and inexpensive, the rest part can be formed or designed as a slide roll.
In a further exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the seat part can be pivotably secured to the adjustment element and can be adjustable together with the back part. As a result, only a single component, i.e., the adjustment element, is required for adjusting both the position of the back part and the position of the seat part. In this way, the user friendliness of the exercise apparatus of the invention is enhanced. Further, in contrast to the known dumbbell benches, the position of the seat part is also changed when the position of the back part is adjusted. Accordingly, an optimum position between the buttocks and the back of the user can be achieved during each positional adjustment of the exercise apparatus of the invention.
Finally, the fastening point of the seat part and back part that serves as a pivot point may be located on the adjustment element below the seat part, which can result in further optimization of the relative positioning of seat part and back part during the positional adjustment of the back part.
The present invention is directed to an exercise apparatus that includes a basic frame, a bench unit, including a back part and a seat part, which is vertically adjustable on the basic frame between a sitting position and a lying position, and a curved guideway, including at least one substantially straight section, that is arranged to positionally adjust the back part.
According to a feature of the instant invention, the bench unit can further include a vertically adjustable support tube adapted for movement on the basic frame, an adjustment tube having an end coupled to the support tube, in which the adjustment tube is adapted to carry the back part and the seat part, and a shaft tube pivotably coupled to an other end of the adjustment tube.
In accordance with another feature of the invention, the adjustment tube can include a carrier tube and an adjustment element. The carrier tube can be movably and fixably coupled to the carrier tube. The curved guideway can include a plurality of different radii, and the curved guideway can include a support bow.
Further, the support bow can be rigidly coupled to a surface of the back part arranged to face the basic frame and can be pivotably coupled to the adjustment element.
Still further, a rest can be arranged on the support tube, and the support bow may be supported on the rest. The rest can be a slide roll. The seat part can be pivotably coupled to the adjustment element and can be adjustable together with the back part. Further, the back part and the seat part may be pivotably coupled together at an attachment point, the attachment point can be positioned on the adjustment element below the seat part.
According to still another feature of the present invention, the apparatus can be a dumbbell bench.
The present invention is directed to an exercise apparatus that includes a positionably adjustable bench unit having a back part and a seat part. The back part is pivotably coupled to the seat part, the seat part is movable along a substantially straight path, and the back part is movable along a curved path.
According to a feature of the instant invention, the apparatus further includes a base frame having an upright part and a base part, a shaft tube, and an extendible tube coupled between the upright part and the shaft tube. The seat part may be movable along the extendible tube.
The apparatus can also include a support tube adjustably coupled for movement along the upright part, and a guide element including at least one substantially straight portion and at least one curved portion. The guide element may be slidably coupled to the support tube. The curved portion can include a plurality of different radii, and a rest can be coupled to the support tube, so that the guide element may be slidably supported by the rest. The rest can include a plastic roller.
According to another feature of the present invention, the extendible tube can include a carrier tube and an adjustment element. The adjustment element may be slidably coupled to the carrier tube to selectively adjust a length of the extendible tube.
According to still another feature of the instant invention, a support element coupled to the seat part can be adapted to pivotably adjust a position of the seat part on the extendible tube.
In accordance with a further feature of the invention, the extendible tube may be positionably adjustable along the upright part.
Still further, the extendible tube may be pivotably coupled to the tube shaft and pivotably coupled to the upright part.
According to still another feature of the present invention, the tube shaft can include an extendible tube for adjusting a length of the tube shaft.
Moreover, an equipment holder can be provided. The equipment holder may be positionable along the upright part.
According to a still further feature of the invention, a roll can be coupled to upper end of the tube shaft.
An attachment element can pivotably couple the seat part to the back part, and the attachment element may be arranged for slidable engagement with the extendible tube.
In accordance with another feature of the instant invention, a guide element can include at least one substantially straight portion and at least one curved portion. The guide element may be fixedly coupled to the back part and pivotably coupled to the seat part. A support tube may be coupled to the upright part, and the guide element can be slidably coupled to the support tube.
The present invention is also directed to a process of adjusting an exercise apparatus that includes a basic frame, a bench unit, which includes a back part and a seat part, and a curved guideway, which includes at least one substantially straight section. The process includes moving the bench unit so that the back part and the seat part are positionable between a lying position and a seated position. The back part is moved along a path defined by the curved guideway.
According to a feature of the invention, the seat part can be movable along a straight path.
In accordance with yet another feature of the invention, the seat part and the back part can by pivotably coupled to each other.
The invention is also directed to an exercise apparatus that includes a positionably adjustable bench unit, comprising a back part and a seat part. The back part is pivotably coupled to the seat part, the seat part is movable along a substantially straight path, and the back part is movable along a curved path. The apparatus also includes a base frame having an upright part and a base part, a shaft tube, and an extendible tube, including a carrier tube and an adjustment element, pivotably coupled to the upright part and pivotably coupled to the shaft tube. The seat part is movable along the extendible tube, and the adjustment element is slidably coupled to the carrier tube to selectively adjust a length of the extendible tube.
Other exemplary embodiments and advantages of the present invention may be ascertained by reviewing the present disclosure and the accompanying drawing.